Chapter 338: Sleep Over?
Callan parked his car in front of Emily’s house just as the sun began to set.
He stepped out of the car and walked to the door. Before he could even knock, the door opened and Emily stepped outside.
She was dressed already. Her hair was neatly packed in a high ponytail. She had mild makeup on.
"Let’s leave before they co downstairs, else they wouldn’t let you go," Emily said, referring to her younger ones as she led the way to the car.
Callan chuckled as they walked to the car and then he raised a brow when he noticed she held a fancy sleepover bag in her hand.
"What’s that for?" he asked as he opened the passenger door for her.
Emily smiled sweetly. "A sleepover." She slid into the seat and placed the bag on her lap. "I’m sleeping over at Jam’s house after our hangout."
Callan frowned but decided to wait until he got into the car before carrying on with the conversation.
"You’re sleeping over at Jamal’s?" He asked as he started the car.
Emily smiled at him again. "Yeah. I figured since we are hanging out at his house, I could as well sleepover. So, you don’t have to drive
ho."
Callan blinked. "Is Jamal aware of your plans?" he asked as he pulled out of the driveway.
"Yes."
Callan almost hissed as he wondered why Jamal would keep such important information from him.
Knowing Callan, Emily could sense his annoyance, so she looked out the window, hiding a smile.
Callan sighed and said, "I didn’t realise that was the plan. I made a reservation at a restaurant. A table for three."
Emily turned her head and spoke in the sa soft, sweet tone. "Oh, dear. I guess you’ll have to cancel. Jamal and Dawn can’t leave Josh alone at ho. And I want Dawn to be with us. I told you earlier, unless you weren’t listening."
Callan was silent for a while and then he sighed. "Okay."
They drove in silence.
Emily didn’t mind the silence. She spent the ti sending more ssages to Mari, even though Mari wasn’t getting a response.
Callan, on the other hand, kept sneaking glances at her.
He wondered what was going on in her head and if she’d given any thought to what he said about a relationship with her.
"So..." Callan said. "How did you ladies spend your day?"
Emily tried to keep her tone flat and uninterested as she responded. "We went to see a movie and then had lunch together and window shopped," she said without looking at him.
"Did you have fun?" Callan asked, wanting to keep her talking.
"Of course, I did."
They fell into silence again, and since Callan didn’t know what to say, he remained silent, cussing himself for not having the right words to engage Emily in a conversation when he had no problem doing that with other ladies.
Just as he was about to play so music, Emily spoke again. "By the way, Jamal said we should bring dinner. So we have to get takeouts."
Callan groaned. "Takeouts? Isn’t he supposed to host his guests?"
"Since when do you consider yourself a guest in Jamal’s house?" Emily asked dryly.
"Since he got a girlfriend and a child," Callan said, then thought of sothing else. "How are we supposed to know what Dawn and Josh like? What if they have allergies?"
Emily shrugged lightly. "Phones exist for a reason. We can call Jamal now and simply ask him if they have any allergies or preferences."
Callan shook his head, "Let’s call him when we get to the restaurant," he muttered under his breath and drove them to the nearest restaurant.
As they walked into the restaurant, he turned to her. "Why don’t you go ahead and order for both of us while I call Jamal and join you," he said. "That way we don’t have to get on the queue twice."
"How am I supposed to know what you’d want?" Emily asked, and Callan flashed her a smile.
"I trust your judgnt," he said, making her heart flutter.
She looked at him for so seconds before walking away without a word toward the self-service kiosk.
Callan dialed Jamal’s line as he stepped away from Emily. He hadn’t wanted to make the call in the car in front of Emily.
Jamal picked up the second ring.
Before Jamal could speak, Callan hissed, "Why did you stab
in the back?"
Jamal didn’t pretend not to know what Callan was talking about. He burst into laughter so loudly Callan had to pull the phone away from his ear.
"I didn’t stab you in the back," Jamal said, still laughing. "I chose the better offer. The offer that lets
spend ti with Dawn and Josh."
Callan closed his eyes and groaned. "And you call yourself my best friend? I’m so disappointed in you."
"Well," Jamal said in a playful tone, "your appointnt or disappointnt ans nothing to . And if you don’t behave, I won’t let you sleep over."
Callan paused at that, then his lips curved in a wide grin.
Sleep over? That ant he would sleep under the sa roof as Emily.
Suddenly, the decision to hang out in Jamal’s house looked like the best idea to him.
Callan laughed. "Jamal, I love you."
Jamal snorted. "Where is that disappointnt you were talking about?"
"Did I say that? Must have been a slip of the tongue. Forget it," Callan said, and Jamal chuckled.
"Is Emily there with you? Where are you?"
"We’re at the restaurant. You know, the one by K-street. Emily said you wanted us to bring dinner. So, what should we get for Dawn and Josh?"
Jamal made his choices and said, "I’m not ho yet, but Dawn is expecting you both. I’ll join you as soon as I wrap up here."
"Sure. Go ahead." When Callan ended the call, he walked back to Emily.
They got the takeouts and returned to the car. But Emily noticed that he seed more cheerful now and had a grin that wouldn’t leave his face. It made her wonder what Jamal must have told him.
When they arrived at Jamal’s house, Emily rang the doorbell since Callan had insisted on carrying all the takeout bags and had only let her carry her sleepover bag.
Dawn opened the door, and her lips curved in a broad smile when she saw Callan and Emily.
"Co in," Dawn said, holding out the door for them to walk in.
The mont they walked into the house, Josh, who had been watching a kid’s show on the television, ran across the living room the mont he saw Callan.
"Uncle Callan!" he squealed as he ran to welco Callan.
Callan imdiately set down the bags of takeout he was holding, and lifted Josh high with a bright smile.
Emily’s heart stopped as she watched them. Her eyes softened, and her throat tightened.
The mory of her pregnancy and abortion suddenly hit her hard when she saw how happy Callan looked holding the child.
Would Callan have smiled at their child like this? Would their child have been a boy or a girl?
Her chest ached, and her stomach tightened at the thought that their child would have been older than Josh by now had she not gotten rid of the pregnancy.
Tears gathered in her eyes and she blinked fast.
Dawn’s brows pulled together as she watched Emily. "Emily? Are you okay?"
Callan turned too, with Josh still in his arms. His smile faded when he saw how Emily seed a bit upset.
"What’s wrong?"
Emily swallowed hard. She forced a smile and shook her head. "I’m fine. It’s just my first ti seeing Josh, and he’s just so pretty. He reminds
of Jamal when we were little. Although I didn’t et Jamal when he was four, but he looked this way at seven."
"I’ve been hearing that since we arrived. I’m glad Jamal will never need to request a DNA test for Josh," she joked, and they all laughed.
Emily’s heart eased a little, and she joined Dawn in carrying the takeout bags to the dining table.
Relieved that Emily was fine, Callan focused on Josh again, making airplane sounds with him.
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